For immediate release: June 11, 2007
For further information contact: Winnie Comfort or
Tammy Kendig
609-292-9580

New Jersey Drivers Find Service and Convenience on Enhanced Municipal Courts Web Site

NJMCdirect, the Judiciary's online Municipal Court Web site that allows drivers to view tickets and pay penalties by credit card, now offers four new services to New Jersey drivers. The site can be found at njcourtsonline.com.

The announcement was made by Judge Philip S. Carchman, acting administrative director of the courts. "NJMCdirect has been very popular with New Jersey drivers, who find it a quick and convenient way to do business with all of our 533 municipal courts," said Judge Carchman. "These enhancements make it easier than ever for drivers to satisfy all outstanding fines and remain in good standing with the courts and with the Motor Vehicle Commission."

The four enhancements provide the public with services that previously required direct contact with the court. These enhanced services include payment of tickets with suspended licenses and a direct link to the MVC for license restoration; payment of court-ordered time payments; a statewide search for outstanding tickets; and driving directions to each municipal court.

The Judiciary worked closely with the MVC to develop a process to resolve license suspensions resulting from unpaid tickets. NJMCdirect now allows those tickets to be paid online. After paying their fines on NJMCdirect, drivers can select a link that will take them directly to the MVC Web page, where they can pay their restoration fees and initiate the process of having their licenses restored.

"Suspended licenses present a problem for New Jersey drivers, because in many towns it is very difficult to get to the courthouse without driving. By paying their tickets and requesting license restoration online, they can have their driving privileges restored without getting into their cars," said Judge Carchman.

In addition, NJMCdirect now allows drivers to view an electronic copy of their court-ordered time payments and to make required installation payments online. The system will provide the driver with an up-to-the-minute payment schedule, including installment amounts, payment due dates and total balance due. Much like the online ticket payment service, the time payment service offers a convenient alternative to mailing a check or traveling to the courthouse. Because the online payment window offers extended payment hours, drivers satisfying time payment orders have a broader opportunity to make their payments on time and to avoid further penalties from the court.

A third enhancement helps drivers find other tickets that may be outstanding in the state of New Jersey. When a driver enters a single ticket number into NJMCdirect, the enhanced system will initiate a statewide search on that driver's license number and provide the driver with a complete list of other outstanding tickets. Drivers are given the opportunity to view and pay fines before they incur further sanctions, regardless of which New Jersey municipality the tickets were issued in.

A final enhancement to NJMCdirect is the addition of driving directions to each of New Jersey's 533 municipal court locations.

Since its introduction in 2002, NJMCdirect has grown increasingly popular with drivers who receive tickets in New Jersey. Last month alone, 94,789 tickets, approximately 28 percent of all tickets eligible to be paid without a court appearance, were resolved through the site. In all, more than 3.2 million tickets have been paid through NJMCdirect since its introduction.

"The NJMCdirect enhancements are another step toward improving public access to our courts. Our municipal courts have done a great job using technology to improve the convenience and efficiency of our court operations, and I am confident that we will continue to improve our systems to better serve the public," said Judge Carchman.

The municipal courts in New Jersey are courts of limited jurisdiction, having responsibility for motor vehicle and traffic violations, municipal ordinance violations, and other matters. The 533 municipal courts resolve approximately 6.3 millions cases annually.